


The Bear

by Kryptaria



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-09
Updated: 2014-06-09
Packaged: 2018-02-03 23:51:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1760019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kryptaria/pseuds/Kryptaria
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes, all it takes to trigger a memory is a little stuffed bear.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Bear

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to scriptrixlatinae for the beta!

Even in the hazy heat of late May, New Yorkers dressed for business. On the street, they carried their jackets and rolled up their sleeves, but in the crisp, air conditioned environment of the Stark Times Square Center, no one looked twice at a man in a blazer and button-down shirt left open at the throat. He was effectively invisible, a predator in the midst of prey.

 _Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N._ was Tony Stark’s publicity response to the HYDRA revelation of just two weeks ago. No one but Stark could have put this together in such a short time.

There were displays of Stark’s Iron Man suits and displays of uniforms and weapons from the rest of the team — all but the Hulk, who was represented instead by a life-sized resin statue that roared whenever kids got too close. Every wall displayed videos of the Battle of New York and other incidents that had been ‘declassified’ by Natasha Romanoff’s information dump. There was a walk-through hologram of Yggdrasil built on a trampoline, where kids tried to jump high enough to touch the worlds as seen by the Asgardians.

He memorized all of it. Information was useful. _This_ information was important.

And there was a gift shop — of course there was — with prices set at what had to be a loss, all for the sake of publicity. New York was already flooded with children carrying plastic Captain America shields and Mjollnirs. Miniatures of Hawkeye’s bow and Black Widow’s dual pistols were probably setting the anti-weapon lobbyists ablaze with righteous fury. There were stuffed tesseracts and plush Loki dolls and —

He stopped, staring at a display of stuffed animals. In the center, raised up on a pedestal, was a small, stuffed bear in an airtight display case. The brown fur was worn through and patched in spots. It wore black combat pants tucked into brown leather boots. Its blue jacket had buttoned straps across the front and an angled collar with wide lapels that would close up snug in cold weather. There was a plastic leather gear belt across the bear’s waist and chest. And it wore a black mask tied around its head, with little holes cut out for the button eyes.

Beneath was the plaque: _The original “Bucky” Bear, donated by the Howling Commandos Memorial Foundation, once property of Margaret Carter._

He stared at the bear, and something inside him cracked, filling his eyes with tears for the first time in seven decades. He lifted his hand, never noticing the metallic _ting_ when his fingers touched the glass. His other hand went to his chest, tracing the angled path of buttons down the front of a jacket that had lain dormant in his mind.

The jacket, he remembered, wasn’t military regulation, but nothing about the Howling Commandos was regulation. They were outside the rules, outside the chain of command, loyal only to —

“If you want to hold it, I think I can probably convince them to open the case for you.”

He looked back and had to blink to clear his eyes. “Steve?”

“Yeah.” Steve stepped back, looking him over. “Sharp suit.”

A dozen explanations came to mind. Socially appropriate camouflage. Hiding his arm. Dressing with authority to avoid being challenged.

For the first time in seventy years, one corner of his mouth twitched up in a cocky grin. “Got an image to keep up, pal.”

“Are you really back?”

It was the Winter Soldier who looked around, concerned that they’d drawn too much attention, standing here. But it was Bucky Barnes who nodded to Steve, saying, “Got a lot of catching up to do, but yeah. I think I am.”


End file.
